One of Canada’s Most Beloved Winter Wonderlands Is Getting Even Better
- News Article
- Apr 1
- 2 min read
A new initiative is helping make the Canadian Rockies resort town of Banff a welcoming destination for every traveler.
At Banff Sunshine Village resort, skiers whoosh down the runs off Mount Standish, leaving tracks in the new snow that fell overnight in Banff National Park in Alberta. But my teenage son Bennett has stopped at the top of a steep pitch, as the wind-whipped snowflakes swirl around us at 7,000 feet elevation in the Canadian Rockies.
Reading Bennett’s body language, his ski instructor makes a suggestion.
“Let’s do our deep breathing,” says Irene Hutcheon, who works with Rocky Mountain Adaptive (RMA), an organization that teaches people with physical and cognitive disabilities how to ski. After a few calming breaths, Bennett’s shoulders relax. “Now, let’s ski this together,” she says.
Holding hands, they ease down the slope in tandem. When the run flattens out, she lets go. Bennett, who has autism, doesn’t miss a turn.
In addition to using calming techniques, Hutcheon communicates with him by giving choices with her hands: Her right hand might be “ride the chairlift” and her left “take a break.” Bennett, who mostly chooses to be nonverbal, taps what he wants or points where he wants to go. By the end of the lesson, he’s skiing with confidence.
“We like to make the outdoors accessible to everybody,” says Hutcheon, who runs the neurodiverse training for RMA’s staff and volunteers. “We talk to the family. We talk to the participant and gauge how we can best support them on the hill.”
Adapting downhill snow sports so everyone can participate is one of many ways this famous Canadian destination welcomes all travelers. In 2023, Banff’s tourism board, in partnership with the Town of Banff and Parks Canada, unveiled a 10-year vision called Lead Tourism for Good that champions the removal of barriers—including physical, sensory, cognitive, and social/behavioral ones—to ensure an inclusive visitor experience for everyone. It also pledges to reduce waste and emissions for long-term sustainability.
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